A group of conservative lawmakers is vowing to block legislative progress in the House of Representatives until their demands are met. They are insisting that Republicans pass the SAVE America Act, a sprawling piece of legislation that has stalled in the Senate. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who is leading the effort, warned that there would be no votes this week and that the blockade would continue for as long as it takes.
The hardball tactics employed by Luna and her allies have already had an impact, with House Republican leadership pulling a series of votes on Wednesday. House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to try to move forward with legislation on Thursday, but it remains unclear whether he can convince Luna and other conservatives to end their blockade. Luna indicated that she and her allies are determined to see the SAVE America Act passed, citing support from President Donald Trump.
The SAVE America Act has been touted as a top priority by Trump, and it includes several provisions that have been championed by conservatives. These include voter ID requirements, stricter rules on mail-in voting, and a ban on sex change procedures for minors. However, the legislation has faced widespread opposition from Democrats and has stalled in the Senate.
House conservatives are now pressuring their Senate colleagues to fight for the bill, but a version that incorporates all of Trump's priorities has yet to receive a vote in the Senate. Johnson is scheduled to meet with Trump on Thursday in an attempt to break the impasse. Given the speaker's narrow majority, just a few dissenting Republicans can have a significant impact on the legislative process.
Johnson has floated the idea of incorporating a narrow version of the SAVE America Act into a third budget reconciliation package. However, Luna indicated that this proposal is inadequate and that the full bill must be passed. She warned that it would not be possible to pass the SAVE America Act through reconciliation and that the Senate would need to take action to overcome procedural hurdles.
The impasse is not expected to be resolved soon, with the Senate departing for a two-week recess around the July 4 holiday. No senators objected to starting the break early, and it remains to be seen when the chamber will return to session. Luna also dismissed the significance of a bipartisan housing bill that passed the House this week, saying that it was not a substitute for the SAVE America Act.
Luna and her allies have pledged to vote "no" on every piece of legislation that comes over from the Senate until the SAVE America Act passes. They argue that this is a crucial issue and that they will not allow the House to move on to other business until their demands are met. The Florida lawmaker applauded Trump for indicating that he would not sign a bill into law that does not include the SAVE America Act.
